In a conventional vidicon camera, there are two known methods used to produce an image size change with respect to a television frame display. One is the use of an optical zoom lens. The optical image is focused on the vidicon face plate and the zoom lens changes the optical image size on the face plate. Consequently, the electric image size produced by the vidicon changes accordingly. The second method is by electronically changing the rate of change of the vidicon camera sweep voltage with respect to the rate of change of the sweep of the TV monitor voltage as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,497,614.
There are no known electronic means for changing the image size in solid state sensor systems. However, optical zoom lens can be employed to fit the image size change. Generally zoom lens are bulky, large in size, heavy in weight and expensive. They are not adaptable to microminiaturization and cannot be integrated with the solid state sensors. They are susceptible to mechanical vibrations due to their mass and are subject to misalignment of the optical axis because of the number of optical elements within the zoom lens.